The invention relates to a nematic liquid-crystal composition for active matrix application.
Active matrix displays (AMD) are highly favored for commercially interesting displays with a high information content. Such AMDs are used for TV application and also for displays with high information content for automobiles and aeroplanes.
AMDs have non-linear electrical switching elements which are integrated at each picture element. As non-linear driving elements thin film transistors (TFT) [Okubo, U., et al., 1982, SID 82 Digest, pp. 40-41] or diodes (e.g.,: metal insulator metal: MIM) [Niwa, K., et al., 1984, SID 84, Digest, pp. 304-307]can be applied. These non-linear driving elements allow the use of an electro-optical effect with a rather flat electro-optical characteristic if a good viewing angle characteristic can be obtained. So a TN-type LC cell [Schadt, M. and Helfrich, W., 1971, Appl. Phys. Lett., 18, 127] with a twist angle of 90. can be used. To provide the good contrast over a wide viewing angle, operation in the first minimum of transmission [Pohl, L., Eidenschink, R., Pino, F. Del., and Weber, G., 1980, German Pat., DBP 30 22 818, and 1981, U.S. Pat. 4,398,803; Pohl, L. Weber, G., Eidenschink, R., Baur, G., and Fehrenbach, W., 1981, Appl. Phys. Lett., 38, 497; Weber, G., Finkenzeller, U., Geelhaar, T., Plach, H. J., Rieger, B., and Pohl, L., 1988, Int. Symp. on Liq. Cryst., Freiburg, to be published in Liq. Crys.]is required. These AMDs are very well suited for TV applications and consequently are of high commercial interest. For these applications some physical properties of the liquid crystals become more important than for passive TN displays. Some of the decisive properties for the performance of an AMD are resistivity and stability of the liquid crystal [Togashi, S., Sekiguchi, K., Tanabe, H., Yamamoto, E., Sorimachi, K., Kajima, E., Watanabe, H., Shimuzu, H., Proc. Eurodisplay 84, September 1984: A 210-288 Matrix LCD Controlled by Double Stage Diode Rings, p. 144 ff, Paris; Stromer, M., Proc. Eurodisplay 84, September 1984: Design of Thin Film Transistors for Matrix Addressing of Television Liquid Crystal Displays, p. 145 ff, Paris].
In an AMD, the non-linear switching elements are addressed in a multiplex scheme. So they charge the electrodes of a pixel in the limited time they are active. Then they become inactive until they are addressed again in the next cycle. Consequently the change of the voltage on an activated (charged) pixel is a nondesired but a very decisive feature of such a display. The discharge of a pixel is determined by two factors. They are the capacity of the electrodes of the pixel and resistivity of the dielectric material between the electrodes, namely the liquid crystal. The characteristic time constant of the decay of the voltage at a pixel (RC-time) has to be significantly bigger than the time between two addressing cycles (t.sub.adr). A parameter frequently used to describe the performance of an AMD is the voltage holding ratio HR of a picture element: ##EQU1## As the voltage at a pixel decays exponentially, an increase of the holding ratio necessitates liquid crystal materials with exceptionally high resistivities.
There are several points of importance for the resistivity of the liquid crystal inside a display, e.g., orientation layers, and curing condition of the orientation material. But by no means less important are the electrical properties of the liquid crystal used. Especially the resistivity of the liquid crystal in the display determines the magnitude of the voltage drop at the pixel.